Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2007

Horatio

Meaning timekeeper Gender Boy Rank 2025 #11,171

From Latin Horātius, a Roman gens name of uncertain meaning, possibly “timekeeper”.

Rank 2025
#11,171
among boys · ↓1,845 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
6
named Horatio
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2007
40 babies
All-time total
1,443
#4,067 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Horatio popularity over time

1,443 babies have been named Horatio since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1880Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 50 5 – #474
1890s 43 4 -14% #748
1900s 24 2 -44% #1,059
1910s 128 13 +433% #1,284
1920s 151 15 +18% #1,724
1930s 77 8 -49% #2,120
1940s 44 4 -43% #2,330
1950s 98 10 +123% #1,801
1960s 88 9 -10% #1,957
1970s 164 16 +86% #1,905
1980s 132 13 -20% #2,956
1990s 92 9 -30% #4,089
2000s 173 17 +88% #2,945
2010s 133 13 -23% #3,661
2020s (to 2025) 46 8 -42% #6,768

The story of Horatio

Horatio is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,171 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 1,443 American babies have been named Horatio. Its peak came in 2007, when 40 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Horatio stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Horatio?

The median living Horatio is about 36 years old; half are between 17 and 52. An estimated 900 people named Horatio are alive in the United States today.

median 36 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Horatio year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 6 #11,171
2024 8 #9,326
2023 – –
2022 8 #9,309
2021 12 #6,852
2020 12 #6,768
2019 8 #9,198
2018 13 #6,489
2017 12 #6,848
2016 16 #5,647
2015 9 #8,287
2014 10 #7,766
2013 15 #5,764
2012 11 #7,225
2011 10 #7,702
2010 29 #3,661
2009 28 #3,759
2008 28 #3,769
2007 40 #2,945
2006 9 #8,262
2005 22 #4,109
2004 12 #6,278
2003 10 #6,912
2002 9 #7,258
2001 8 #7,813
2000 7 #8,529
1995 5 #9,387
1990 9 #5,542
1985 9 #4,467
1980 13 #3,325
1975 13 #2,975
1970 16 #2,337
1965 17 #1,957
1960 6 #3,823
1955 9 #2,862
1950 8 #2,883
1945 – –
1940 5 #3,675
1935 – –
1930 13 #2,234
1925 14 #2,253
1920 21 #1,724
1915 15 #1,918
1910 – –
1905 5 #1,320
1900 6 #1,233
1895 5 #1,165
1890 6 #939
1885 5 #1,013
1880 15 #474

Famous people named Horatio

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson Royal Navy officer (1758–1805) 18th century
  2. 2 Horatio Gates Horatio Gates American army officer and politician (1727–1806) 18th century
  3. 3 Horatio Alger Horatio Alger American novelist (1832–1899) 19th century
  4. 4 Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour Governor of New York (1853–1854; 1863–1864) 1810–1886 · 19th century
  5. 5 Horatio Parker Horatio Parker American composer and teacher (1863–1919) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Horatio, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Horatio?

The median living Horatio is about 36 years old. Half of all living Horatios are between 17 and 52 years old.

How many people named Horatio are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Horatio are alive in the United States, based on 1,443 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Horatio mean?

From Latin Horātius, a Roman gens name of uncertain meaning, possibly “timekeeper”.

How popular is the name Horatio in 2025?

Horatio ranked #11,171 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Horatio?

1,443 babies have been named Horatio in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Horatio most popular?

Horatio peaked in 2007, when 40 newborns received the name.

Is Horatio a boy or girl name?

Horatio is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Horatio rising or falling?

Horatio is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Horatio?

Well-known people named Horatio include Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (military personnel), Horatio Gates (military personnel), Horatio Alger (writer).

Names like Horatio

Names that sound and feel close to Horatio: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Horatio with similar names → More names starting with H →